Personal Life / Personality

Those born under the Phoenix constellation on the cusp of Aries and Taurus tend to be transformative; their sense of taste seems to change at every successive phase of their lives. Their pickiness can complicate things, but every obsession soon transitions into the next, so their parents soon learn patience, and must try to enjoy every adorable phase for what it is. 

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Phoenix signs usually grow to become generally optimistic and positive people, so long as they are allowed to flow freely between phases. Their positivity can become toxic if they do not allow themselves or are inhibited from fully feeling their own downturns. Their every phase has a rise and a fall, like how a phoenix is born, dies, and is reborn in its own ashes. Ultimately, they learn that every downturn has an upturn, which keeps them optimistic, and that every upturn has a downturn, which keeps them realistic. This is effectively what makes them equal parts Aries and Taurus. 

Their interests often take on a tactile quality, such as painting, gardening, animal caretaking, or sports, which provide them with a stable physical interface to create with. Through the ups and downs and ins and outs, they learn strength of body and mind, both resilience and audacity.

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If they are not socialized properly, not learning how to modulate between the different moods of others, they may remain detached, withdrawn, and shy, choosing more copious or obsessive activities over developing deep relationships with others, which may seem too daunting or anxiety-inducing. One way or the other, Phoenix is one of the most creative signs in the Zodiac. 

Interpersonal Life / Relationships

Given their cyclic nature, they tend to operate somewhat independently in relationships, having a multitude of relations for a multitude of reasons. Understandably, the true character of a Phoenix might seem elusive at first to those who wish to get deeper with one. This tends to win them a reputation as selfish, shallow, transactional, or inconsistent to those who may have temporarily lost their attention. However, they tend to remedy these relations at the earliest opportunity, being that they’re actually quite forgiving, agreeable, and trusting toward others. This makes it hard to stay mad at them, even if their attention must inevitably turn elsewhere again.

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Stay on good terms with a Phoenix, and they’ll return to you willingly, and with an enthusiasm that’s hard to get elsewhere. Since every relationship they have is born out of mutual interest, they come into each relationship - old and new - with great enthusiasm. As lovers, they’re deeply sensual, affectionate, and nurturing, with the passion of an Aries and the physicality of a Taurus. They’re also experimental, and willing to explore anything with their partner. 

Their trusting and forgiving nature can be misguided into gullibility and anxiety, however, opening them up to be manipulated or guilted into trading away their rights. Those who try to isolate and entrap a Phoenix, however, will find that their once enthusiastic, charming, nurturing, and understanding partner has nothing left to give, like a golden goose that lays no more golden eggs. Paradoxically, a partner who grants freedom to a Phoenix gets all of the love, commitment, and support that they could ever truly want. Try to grasp them or keep them, and all of their radiance is gone. 

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All of this is not to say that a Phoenix is not capable of curtailing the freedoms of others. On the contrary, if they become accustomed to a life without radiant colors, say, if they haven’t learned how to share their creativity with others, or they are forced to cope with a limited existence, their trusting nature can turn into suspicion and paranoia, or their forgiving nature can turn into dismissive and accusative behavior. At their worst, they may free themselves from discomfort and distaste by constructing echo chambers and safe spaces for themselves at the expense of those who cohabitate with them. 

Social Life / Society

In professional and social life, Phoenix signs are charismatic, dignified, and gracious, making them natural servers, administrators, diplomats, and representatives. Many are driven to political life in democratic contexts, since they wish to liberate, inspire, and please people. However, as is true for any representative, regardless of good intentions, the representation of other people’s interests can alienate them from their own interests - and thus from authentically representing anything. Anyway, representative democracy may become obsolete when we ultimately embrace a more direct form of democracy, where we all represent ourselves. In that future, Phoenix signs will still wish to serve their society, perhaps by spreading art, beauty, and inspiration throughout. They are excellent go-betweens and event managers, making sure everyone is welcome, comfortable, and having a good time. 

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A healthy Phoenix needs to discover or retain a fundamental sense of self that does not waver from changing social contexts and mood swings. Even as mediators between others, they must remain personally independent. Otherwise, their indecisiveness, inconsistency, and superficiality will make them impossible to work with. 

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Because they can take on so many forms themselves, they tend to be accepting and inclusive of others. They must be careful, however, not to force people to assimilate under the pretext of ‘inclusion’. Their agreeability and pragmatic focus on simple commonalities can lead them to overlook deep incompatibilities, coming across as superficial, imposing, and preachy to more nuanced perspectives. They can be quick to dismiss a nuanced view if they believe it to be limiting freedom in some way, even if the limitations are not imposed but natural. Deep down, a Phoenix wishes everyone in their life to be happy - at times, no matter the cost. But a truly enlightened Phoenix wants to share in sadness and difficulty as well, and is not afraid of the hiccups it will take to get everyone to a happier place. 

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But Phoenixes are not always inclusive. They can become very exclusive if sheltered or repressed for too long. With limited influence or perspective, they can stagnate, perceiving any outside influences or perspectives as infringing on their rights. With the stubbornness of a Taurus and the volatility of an Aries, hell hath no fury like a Phoenix mildly inconvenienced. At their worst, their sense of taste can become an impossible standard that they feel they must coerce others to conform to. At their best, they are a radiant beacon of freedom, renewal, and beauty in diversity for everyone and everything in their lives. 

Archetypal Story of Phoenix

V for Vendetta: Evey Hammond lives in a fascist, dystopian Britain. Her activist parents and brother were killed by the totalitarian regime, and the populace lives in fear of their ‘black bagging’ tactics used to quell dissent. She had done a good job of flying under their radar until her path crossed with a lone vigilante working to assassinate the key players of this Norsefire party. This man known only as V takes the unconscious woman with him to his safehouse to prevent her capture and wrongful punishment for his actions, and she becomes his reluctant accomplice in subsequent missions. His anonymous vibe and attire are inspired by Guy Fawkes, a historical figure credited with bombing parliament to rebel against tyranny. 

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In typical action movie fashion, Chief Inspector Eric Finch is sent to capture V and put a stop to the assassinations, but his investigation reveals the foul play at the heart of the fascist takeover. 20 years prior, the regime had developed and unleashed biological weapons in the form of a virulent disease to instill panic in the populace and force them to turn to Norsefire for the cure. Many current party loyalists got rich from the heist, and continue to exert their power through propaganda and fear-mongering. Evey escapes and attempts to take refuge with her former employer but finds his revolutionary spirit is actually quite strong. He shares his collection of banned material with her, and inspired by the assassinations uses his position as a TV host to strike out against the party himself resulting in his execution and consequently Evey’s arrest.

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She endures torture and harsh imprisonment comforted only by letters written by a woman in the neighboring cell named Valerie. Her story took a tragic turn when the intolerant fascists captured her for leading a homosexual life, and proceeded to experiment on her in this facility called Larkhill. Through the letters Evey becomes stalwart and vengeful, emboldened by Valerie’s courage in the face of death she emulates the same when faced with the ultimatum of betraying V’s lair location only to step out into that very location and find her imprisonment had been staged. Initially furious for what she had been forced to endure, she comes around to being grateful to V for freeing her from her fear and making her now unstoppable. Her previous doubts about the need to bring down the fascists and free her country were burned away.

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In the final stand, the prime minister is killed, V dies in the battle and leaves his body on a train full of explosives in Evey’s care to send under parliament and give people hope. All wearing Guy Fawkes masks, the civilians swarm the capital and take it back. For the short time they had together, V and Evey enjoyed a vibe of Clockwork. Despite his revolutionary aims, V was meticulous and patient in his execution like a Libra. Every move was precise and calculated… except for his run-in with Evey. He falls in love with her, and out of that love resolves to continue the plan that always ended in his death to ensure her right to live free. Evey exhibits the quality of Splendor and sends him out with a bang, setting off the explosion and giving the people a symbol to rally under.